Senior Chinese official arrives in North Korea

PYONGYANG – China’s point man for North Korea arrived Tuesday in Pyongyang amid a flurry of diplomacy over the North’s recent nuclear test.

The visit by Wu Dawei, China’s special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs, comes after North Korea said it successfully tested its first H-bomb on Jan. 6.

China has said it firmly opposes the nuclear test and supports a new U.N. resolution and sanctions. But nearly one month after the test, there is no sign of an agreement among the U.S., its allies and China on exactly what sanctions should be adopted.

Pak Song Il, deputy director of the America department at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, greeted Wu in the VIP area of Pyongyang’s airport.

North Korean authorities have not confirmed any details about Wu’s visit, including how long he will be in Pyongyang or who he will meet. That is normal in North Korea when foreign officials visit for sensitive talks.

Wu Dawei met the U.S. State Department’s special representative for North Korea policy, Sung Kim, in Beijing last week.